The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-01-19
OUR W AsHINGTON LETTER.

W As n II.
WASHINGTON. ID. c., Jan. IA, 1857. /
Special Correspondence OF The Daily News
The President is again in the best Of |
health aud spirits, and has been able !
during the past week to attend to ali Of
the duties of his Office, including the I,
very important one of hand-shaking in
the East Room. Mr.. Cleveland appears
to enjoy exceedingly these good-natured
conferences with the people who visit
the White House and have their little
say to the Chief Magistrate. 1t is pleas
ant to think OF the reports that will be
made to the people at home as to what
told the President"
The first State reception for the year
1887 at the White House was held on
Thursday evening. 1t was a very sue
cessful affair, and reflected great credit
upon all concerned. The most elaborate
preparations in the way of decorations
were made. Aside from the members
of the Diplomatic Corps. arrayed in their
gorgeous uniforms resplendent with
with gold lace, ribbons of brilliant cOlors
and innumerable decorations, more than
two thousand persons, all high in official
army and navy life, were presented to
the President. One of the noticeable
features of the reception was the display
of jewelry, and it is generally conceded
that never before has there been such q
display of diamonds. Mrs. Senator
Stanford fairly sparkled with precious
stouee, and it is said that her diamonds
cost upwards of $500, 900. Mrs. Frank
Leslie was another lady whose diamonds
attracted attention. The stones which
she wore in her ears were as large as
good sized birds eggs. Perhaps the least
said about the dressing the better; at any
rate il the description were as abbreviated
as the dresses themselves, it would not
occupy much space in your columns.
1t is safe to predict that had the Chicago
ministers who protested against the
American Opera ballet been present and
witnessed the display of necks, arms. and
busts, that they would have rendered u
unanimous verdict to the effect that the
| ballet costume was, comparatively speak
| ing, a very tame affair indeed. There
seemed to he rivalry among the ladies
present as to which could wear the
| least clothing without taking cold, and
| like the display of diamonds, it may be
| justly said that no such decollette show
was ever before witnessed in the White
| House.
Much to the astOnishment of people
who had expected that there would be a
| long discussion of the anti-pOiyRamy
bill in the House Of Representatives, the
House substitute for the Ednonds bill
was passed on Wednesday without q di-
| vision, and without so much as a roll
call being demanded. The bill as passed
makes the lawful husband or wife of any
person prosecuted for bigamy, poly ga my
or unlawful cobabitation, competent
witness against the accused. Provision
is also made for the registration OF mar
riages, and it is declared to be misde-
meanOr to violate such provisions.
A rumOr that Mayor Hewitt, of New
York, was dead, was extensively circu-
lated here, and caused something Of a
sensation for the time, but it was of short
durati. N, as subse quent dispatches were
received containing the positive state
ment that Mr.. Hewitt vas improving rap
idly.
At meeting of the Medical Society Of
the District of Columbia, held during tn.
week, a committee was appointed to con
slider the question of the best manage,
ment of inebriates, ard to suggest legis
latiou to that end. The committee, in
it's report. says The inebriate is pub
lie nuisance to be abated. A man cal
not do what he likes with his own. Tn,
social compact is public trust, and SO
ciety demands protection from violence
and the deterioration OF the race.
Confinement should be for a number o
} years, or for an indefinite period. Les
than q year will seldom prove Of an.
benefit" The committee recommend
that a home for inc briates be built upoI
farm in the neighborhood Of Wa-hing
: ton, and further suggests that the liquo
licenses should be doubled in price, an,
that the revenue derived therefrom b
applied to the maintenance of the inebri
ate asylum, thus rendering apparent tn
; relation between cause and effect.
On Friday last the interior of tn
Washington Monument was brilliantl
lighted with seventy five incandescen
electric lights. the object being to ties
the lighting apparatus. The mOnumen
} will not be regularly lighted until Pre-
vision is made by Congress for running
the elevator. H.